how to grow
You’ve gotten started with setting up your garden but now what? What is good to grow with children? Deciding what to grow may be one of the toughest parts of gardening. When choosing what to plant with children, be realistic of what they will eat and enjoy. Here I have compiled various vegetables, fruits, and herbs that are easy to grow successfully with children, require low maintenance other than watering and feeding, and can enhance classroom experiences. Feel free to look through each category and pick those that will best suit your children and needs. You will be surprised by some of these plants that are considered as fruits as not vegetables, such as zucchini and pumpkin. Consider the area of your garden, if you do not have a spot with that much sunlight, then consider growing plants that thrive with less sunlight.
It is important to plan when you are planting each one as every plant grows best in different seasons and temperatures throughout the year. Some plants, such as kale and radish, can be planted in fall or winter as it can tolerate cold and partial shade. While some plants, such as tomatoes and zucchini, cannot tolerate the cold and much prefers to be in warm temperatures. Furthermore, some plants should be sown directly in the garden, while others can be grown indoors then transplanted outdoors.
Check out this growing guide chart and this planting calculator. My “how to” guides follow a general guideline for each plant. Do take a look at your seed packet directions and adjust accordingly. For more detailed “how to grow” guides, I recommend checking out guides from West Coast Seeds, KidsGardening, and Growing in the Garden.
Bonus: Did you know you can grow plants from your leftover scraps? Tell the children you will be growing "zombie" plants and watch their excited reactions. Check out this page for more information.
TIP #1
Take time to write a plant label for each type of plant in your garden as it is easy to forget what you've planted and where.
TIP #2
When gardening with a class especially with primary-aged children, it is best to work in small groups.
important vocabulary
- Bolt: The process of when plant spurts into flowers and has gone to produce seeds
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Days to Maturity (DTM): The time needed for the plant to reach maturity from the time the seed is sown
- Helps you plan your plant choices accordingly (especially helpful to figure out if the crop will be ready before school is over for the summer holiday)
- Germination: The process of when a seed starts to grow (typically within a week or two of planting)
- Sow: To plant with seeds
- Transplant: The technique of moving a plant from one location and replanting it to another location
- Thin: The technique of removing some plants that have grown too close together to allow more room for plant growth by cutting or pulling